Disclaimer: Susan Kay owns Madeleine and Marie, Gaston Leroux own practically everythings else as does ALW

Authors Notes: A moderen retelling phic, I tried to make it as original as I could. This first chapter is really just to introduce how Erik was born and raised, that and I'm reading the Kay novel right now so I wanted to incorporate Madeleine. The title might change over the course of the story but for now it's named after a place that will come into play in the next chapter.

The Glade

Prologue:

I had opted for a home birth rather then have the hassle of being rushed off to the hospital, and looking back on it I am forever grateful for my choice. I remember the night he was born all too clearly.

I lay in a state of half awareness, sweat trickled down my brow and onto my slightly parted lips, and the midwife stood hovering by my legs. My dear friend Marie was there as well, holding my hand and whispering encouragements that I didn't listen to. I remember laying there and wishing that it had been my Charles holding my hand instead of Marie but Charles was dead and I was alone.

"I can see the head," The midwife sputtered and I pushed again, I brought my head down hard on the pillows propping it up in pain. I prepared for yet another push and with all my power I did so and then the eerie silence filled the room.

Marie had left my side to see what was the matter with the midwife was and to find the cause for the sudden silence while I laid my head down to rest. I was nearly asleep when I heard her gasp and my eyes shot open. What was the matter? I met Marie's eyes and took in her weak smile. It looked like she was trying to sustain a scream.

I was worried now; Marie had never given me that look before in all the time I knew her. What was wrong? Was the child dead? That theory was quickly dashed when I saw a small hand grab the air around it in its small fist.

"Well?" I asked and watched as the midwife and Marie exchanged glances. The midwife quickly wrapped the child in a blanket and walked over to my bedside. Marie stayed rooted to her spot, watching anxiously for my reaction.

The baby was quickly placed into my waiting arms and I looked upon the last connection to my dear Charles.

What I saw made me want to retch. What I held was no baby but a monster; a freak. I held it away from me in disgust and seeing this Marie rushed forward and took the thing from my hands, as if she were afraid I'd drop it in fear.

What made matters worse were that while I stared down into the eyes of my son he did not cry. No, instead he just stared at me with eyes furrowed as if he knew about my instant dislike of him.

After Marie placed him silently into his crib she thanked the midwife, who still looked both bewildered and terrified, and helped her out the door. When she returned nothing really happened. We stood looking at each other, daring the other to speak first, all the while my son waved his hands around in the air. It was Marie who broke the silence first.

"What are you going to name him, Madeleine?" The thought hadn't crossed my mind at all, in fact if given the choice I didn't even want to have to look at him again.

"I don't know and rightly I don't care!" I began unsteadily, the effects of several hours of labor still upon me. Marie came to sit beside me on the bed, her ever gentle and understanding air suffocating me.

"Madeleine you don't mean that. I know he's… different but he still deserves a name." I burst out in dry laughter at her comment.

"Different, Marie? Oh no, that 'thing' is more then different! It isn't human. You saw it with your own eyes, how his skin is stretched, eyes sunken and he has no nose!" My voice was controlled but I was on the verge of hysterics. I didn't understand it, how could I have created this creature out of the love I shared with my dear Charles? Our love had been so beautiful and this child was so malformed.

I felt Marie's hand on my brow and she brushed errant strands of hair away from my face.

"Still he deserves a name," She said slowly. I looked at her with narrowed eyes; her so plain and I so beautiful, one would have never guessed we were best friends.

"If you're so intent on it why not you name it Marie, and while you're at it you can take it as your own son for all I care!" I hissed venomously, sick of her caring attitude towards him. Standing Marie moved to the boy and lifted him back out of the crib and into her arms. I noticed from my spot how she had subtlety covered his face with the blanket and I grinned triumphantly.

"Very well I'll name him, but I won't take him away from you," She glanced over her shoulder at me and I rolled my eyes. Turning back to the disfigured boy she undid the cover of the blanket over his face and turned her back to me. I realized then that the only reason she'd cover his face in the first place was for my sake since I could have seen him when she lifted him out of the crib.

"A name is what you want isn't it?" She began, staring slightly above his head but still at him. I could tell she was uncomfortable but she dared not show it. "How do you like Charles, after your father hm?" I shot from my position on the bed and turned on her.

"Don't you dare name him that or I shall never speak to you again!" Marie looked nonchalant at my threat.

"If you don't like my choice Madeleine, then perhaps you should name him yourself." And she held him out to me to take. I cringed as I came to be completely exposed to the hideousness that was his face. I cowardly covered my face with my hands and shook my head vigorously.

"No, no, you name him Marie, I can't!" I pleaded desperately. She sighed and nodded. Bringing him back to her she stared at the black fuzz of hair that showed on his bald head.

"How about the name Erik, I think it suits him, what do you think Madeleine?" She turned her head to me and where I still had my hands covering my face. Peeking through my slender fingers I sighed.

"Whatever," Marie stood, knowing that was the best she was going to get out of me, and for the last time placed the babe in his crib. Walking to the door she grabbed her coat which she had placed on the back of the chair of my vanity and put it on. I watched from my spot on the bed as she did this.

"I'll come back tomorrow Madeleine. You should feed Erik before you go to sleep, I'm guessing he'd be hungry," She moved to the door of my bedroom and opened it. Smiling weakly she waved and left, leaving me alone with my child.

The first thing I did was change into another nightgown and tightly wrapped my night robe around me; only after I had done this did I even give the boy a thought. Taking a step towards the crib I peered in and looked at the form nestled in. Covering his face first, I took Erik into my hands and finally I heard him. As I held him he giggled at the warmth of me I suppose, but his voice! I felt myself being lured by that voice and I brought him closer to me. As I did so the material over his face shifted revealing what it hid. I was instantly shaken from my spell and reality hit me.

I dropped him and ran away, unaware of where exactly I was running to. Before I knew it I was backed against the wall near the window. As I sank to the floor I heard the distant sound of the cars on the streets. I believe I fell asleep in that spot, huddled in the corner my hands buried in my knees. All the while Erik continued gripping the air as if expecting to take hold of something solid and didn't cry.

When I woke up the next morning I heated some milk and fed it to Erik. Once he had his take of it I left him in his crib and escaped to the room that had once been my Charles study. Since his death I had left it untouched except for the basket I had placed in there. I had taken up the odd habit of sewing to pass the time till the birth and now looking at it I knew what had to be made.

For the rest of the day I sewed together a mask, and when I finished it I presented it to Erik as my first gift to him. At least now I could perhaps bare to look at him.

Over the course of the next few days I realized I would have to move. It was only a matter of time before my neighbors would expect to see the newborn and congratulate me. So with Marie's help I moved into a reasonably sized house in the country. It was there that I raised my son and became I sort of recluse.

The little amount of people who lived around us didn't bother us and the only guest we ever really received was Marie, who would come every so often from the city.

So we lived and as Erik grew I began to fear my son even more, for he was a genius if ever I'd seen one. He mastered everything. From the music I would play, to the lessons both Marie and I would teach him. He listened and learned with growing fascination and a cold indifference.

I never let him out of the house for fear he would be seen because I didn't know how the rest of the world would react to him and his face. When I think of that I remember when he first saw his face, since I had always forced him to wear his mask.

He was being troublesome and I was tired and quick to become angry. As the fight ensued between us I lashed out and dragged him to my room, which within held the only mirror in the house. I threw him before it and took off the mask.

I don't like thinking about it, the sound of his screams and the blood that flew freely from the cuts he inflicted upon himself as he bashed his fists against that mirror. He had nightmares about his face and I did nothing.

He grew up, as all children do and I awoke one day to find him gone.